Slain Arizona rancher told family illegal alien needed help

CNN Wire Staff

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/US/06/17/arizona.rancher.homicide/story.arizona.rancher.death.gi.jpg caption="A rancher scans the Mexican border from Arizona, which critics say has less protection than Texas and California." width=300 height=169]

An Arizona rancher who was killed in March transmitted a radio message to family shortly before he was shot to death, according to a newly released report from the Cochise County Sheriff's Department.

Robert Krentz's brother Phil told officers that Krentz said over the radio that he had seen an illegal alien on his 35,000-acre ranch who appeared to need help, then they never heard from him again.

Another local rancher told sheriff's deputies he overheard the radio communication between the Krentz brothers. That rancher's name has been blacked out in the heavily redacted police report. He corroborated Phil Krentz's statement. He remembered Robert Krentz saying it appeared the illegal alien was hurt and someone should contact Border Patrol.

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